Table of Contents

• When Do I Use Formal Commands?
• The Secret Formula: Forming Regular Formal Commands
• The Rule-Breakers: Irregular Formal Commands
  • Verbs with Irregular 'Yo' Forms
  • The Super Irregulars
• How to Say "Don't": Negative Formal Commands
• Where Do the Pronouns Go?
  • Rule 1: Affirmative Commands = Attach!
  • Rule 2: Negative Commands = Separate!
• Avoiding Common Pitfalls
• Let's Practice!
• You're Ready to Command Respectfully!

Spanish Formal Commands: The Ultimate Guide to Usted & Ustedes

Ever found yourself in a situation in a Spanish-speaking country where you need to ask for directions, order in a fancy restaurant, or speak to a new boss? You want to be polite and show respect, but "¡Oye, dame el menú!" just doesn't feel right.

You're in the right place! Welcome to your complete guide to formal commands in Spanish. These are the commands you use with usted (the formal "you") and ustedes (the formal "you all"). Mastering them is a key step in sounding more polished, respectful, and fluent.

Setting the tone: Using formal commands shows respect in public and professional interactions.

By the end of this guide, you'll be able to confidently tell your professor, "Explíqueme la lección, por favor," instead of just shrugging. Let's dive in!

When Do I Use Formal Commands?

First things first, when is it appropriate to go formal? While informal tú commands are for friends, family, and people your age, formal commands are your go-to for showing respect.

Use usted and ustedes commands when you are speaking to:

• Someone you don't know: A shopkeeper, a police officer, a receptionist.
• An older person: As a sign of deference and respect.
• A person in a position of authority: Your boss, a professor, a doctor.
• A client or customer: In any professional setting.
• A group of people in a formal context: Giving a presentation or addressing an audience.

Think of it as the difference between calling someone by their first name versus using Mr., Ms., or Dr. It sets a respectful tone.

The Secret Formula: Forming Regular Formal Commands

Ready for the best news? There's a simple, three-step formula for forming almost every formal command in Spanish. It all starts with the yo form of the verb in the present tense.

Preparing to unlock the secret formula of Spanish commands.

Step 1: Start with the yo form of the present indicative.

• hablar->hablo
• comer->como
• vivir->vivo

Step 2: Drop the final -o.

• habl-
• com-
• viv-

Step 3: Add the "opposite" vowel ending.

• For -AR verbs, add -e for usted and -en for ustedes.
• For -ER and -IR verbs, add -a for usted and -an for ustedes.

Let's see it in action:

Infinitive	Yo Form	Step 2 (Drop -o)	Usted Command (-e/-a)	Ustedes Command (-en/-an)
Hablar	hablo	habl-	¡Hable!	¡Hablen!
Comer	como	com-	¡Coma!	¡Coman!
Abrir	abro	abr-	¡Abra!	¡Abran!

Examples in sentences:

• HableSpeak more slowly, please. más despacio, por favor. (Speaking to one person)
• Señores, comaneat the soup. la sopa. (Speaking to a group)
• AbraOpen the window, Mrs. Rodriguez. la ventana, Sra. Rodríguez. (Speaking to one person)

The Rule-Breakers: Irregular Formal Commands

"But what about irregular verbs?" you ask. Great question! The "start with the yo form" rule is your secret weapon here, because it automatically handles a huge number of irregular verbs.

Verbs with Irregular 'Yo' Forms

If a verb is irregular in the yo form (like tener -> tengo), that irregularity carries over to the formal command.

Let's look at some common patterns:

-go verbs:

• Tener (to have) -> tengo -> ¡Tenga / Tengan cuidado! (Be careful!)
• Poner (to put) -> pongo -> ¡Ponga el libro en la mesa! (Put the book on the table!)
• Hacer (to do/make) -> hago -> ¡Haga la tarea! (Do the homework!)
• Salir (to leave) -> salgo -> ¡Salga por esa puerta! (Leave through that door!)
• Decir (to say/tell) -> digo -> ¡Diga la verdad! (Tell the truth!)

-zco verbs:

• Conducir (to drive) -> conduzco -> ¡No conduzca tan rápido! (Don't drive so fast!)
• Conocer (to know) -> conozco -> ¡Conozca la ciudad! (Get to know the city!)
• Ofrecer (to offer) -> ofrezco -> ¡Ofrezca su ayuda! (Offer your help!)

Stem-Changing Verbs: The same rule applies! The stem change from the yo form is preserved.

• Cerrar (e:ie) -> cierro -> ¡Cierre la puerta! (Close the door!)
• Volver (o:ue) -> vuelvo -> ¡Vuelva mañana! (Come back tomorrow!)
• Pedir (e:i) -> pido -> ¡Pida lo que quiera! (Order whatever you want!)

The Super Irregulars

Okay, a few verbs play by their own rules entirely. You'll just have to memorize these, but they are so common you'll learn them in no time.

Infinitive	Usted Command	Ustedes Command	Example
Ser	sea	sean	¡Sea paciente! (Be patient!)
Ir	vaya	vayan	¡Vaya con Dios! (Go with God!)
Dar	dé	den	¡Déme el pasaporte! (Give me the passport!)
Estar	esté	estén	¡Esté tranquilo! (Be calm!)
Saber	sepa	sepan	¡Sepa que estamos aquí para ayudar! (Know that we're here to help!)

How to Say "Don't": Negative Formal Commands

This is the easiest part of the whole lesson. To make a formal command negative, you do... almost nothing.

Just add no before the verb.

That's it. The verb conjugation is exactly the same as the affirmative command.

Let's see more examples:

• Affirmative: ComaEat the vegetables. las verduras.

• Negative: No comaeat the candy. los dulces.

• Affirmative: PreocúpenseBe worried..

• Negative: No se preocupenworry.. (Wait, why did the 'se' move? We'll cover that next!)

Where Do the Pronouns Go?

This is where things get really interesting. When you use commands with object pronouns (me, te, lo, la, nos, os, los, las) or reflexive pronouns (me, te, se, nos, os, se), their placement depends on one simple question: is the command affirmative or negative?

Rule 1: Affirmative Commands = Attach!

For positive commands, the pronoun is always attached to the end of the verb.

Command + Pronoun(s)

• Compre + lo -> Cómprelo. (Buy it.)
• Diga + me -> Dígame. (Tell me.)
• Traigan + nos + los -> Tráigannoslos. (Bring them to us.)

The Accent Rule: When you attach a pronoun, you often have to add an accent to keep the stress on the original syllable. A simple rule of thumb: If the command word has two or more syllables, and you add a pronoun, the original stressed vowel will probably need an accent.

• ES-CRI-ba + lo -> es-CRI-ba-lo -> Escríbalo.
• PON-ga + se + lo -> PON-ga-se-lo -> Póngaselo.

Rule 2: Negative Commands = Separate!

For negative commands, the pronoun(s) always go before the verb, right after no.

No + Pronoun(s) + Command

• No + lo + compre -> No lo compre. (Don't buy it.)
• No + me + diga -> No me diga. (Don't tell me.)
• No + nos + los + traigan -> No nos los traigan. (Don't bring them to us.)

This is a fundamental rule in Spanish grammar, so it's a great one to master!

Avoiding Common Pitfalls

As you practice, watch out for these common mistakes.

1. Using the Informal Form: It's easy to forget and use the tú command. Remember, for formal situations, Habla is out, Hable is in.

   Incorrecto (Informal) ❌Correcto (Formal) ✅

   Señor, abre la puerta.

   Señor, abra la puerta.

   Drag the handle to compare

2. Forgetting the 'Yo' Form Irregularity: Don't forget that the command is based on the yo form. Poner becomes pongo, so the command is ponga, not pona.

   Incorrecto ❌Correcto ✅

   Haca la cama, por favor.

   Haga la cama, por favor.

   Drag the handle to compare

3. Wrong Pronoun Placement in Negative Commands: This is the big one. Always remember: No lo haga, never No hágalo. Pronouns go before the verb in negative commands.

Let's Practice!

Time to put your knowledge to the test. Fill in the blanks with the correct formal command.

1. (Hablar, usted) ________ más alto, por favor. No le oigo.
2. (No tocar, ustedes) ________ los cuadros en el museo.
3. (Hacer, usted) ________ una reservación para las ocho.
4. (Dar, usted) ________ el informe a mí. -> ________melo.
5. (No decir, ustedes) ________ nada a la jefa. -> No le ________ nada.

---

Answer Key:

1. Hable
2. No toquen
3. Haga
4. Dé, Démelo
5. digan

You're Ready to Command Respectfully!

¡Felicidades! You've just unlocked a crucial piece of the Spanish grammar puzzle.

Let's recap the essentials:

• When to use them: In formal, professional, or respectful situations.
• How to form them: Go to the yo form, drop the -o, and add the opposite ending (-e/-en for -AR verbs, -a/-an for -ER/-IR verbs).
• Negatives: Just add no before the verb.
• Pronouns: Attach them to the end of affirmative commands (and add an accent!), but place them before the verb in negative commands.

By using usted and ustedes commands correctly, you're not just speaking Spanish; you're navigating its cultural nuances with grace and respect. So go ahead, step into that bank or that business meeting with confidence. ¡Hable con seguridad

Navigating cultural nuances with grace and confidence.